What if...Lucas woke up from his coma and regained sight and his bones healed? (Fluff and Angst - picks up from chapter three)

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Gasps

Lucas eyes snap open, him frantically looking around to see absolutely nothing, it just being complete darkness. He tries to look frantically around but nothing comes in sight for him. All he sees is the pain, all he feels is the pain. He feels...

Confined.

Why can't he move? Why does everything hurt so badly, why does it feel like his body is so heavy? Then he remembers...he remembers it all..

"Max?"

"Lucas! Lucas!"

"Max where are you?"

"Lucas I'm here I'm right here."

Lucas begins to sniffle, him beginning to cry. "I can't...I can't see you." He croaks out. "I can't see I can't see anything!"

"It's okay Lucas it's okay we are going to get you some help." Max cries.

"I can't move I can't see I can't feel anything!" He panics.

"Lucas it's okay it's going to be okay Erica is calling an ambulance you are going to be okay." Max cries.

"Max! Max please help me! I don't want to die anymore I don't want to go please! Please please please!"

"Lucas you're not going to die! Just please hang on!" Max cries harder. "Please!"

"I don't want to go please do something Max please!" Lucas begs.

"We're getting help Lucas you just have to stay with me! Please stay with me!" Max cries.

"Please don't leave...."

Is he..dead? Is this what it looks like between heaven and hell? Where is he? All he hears is constant beeps, almost like...

Hospital beeps?"

"Lucas?"

Lucas follows the voice, recognizing that voice from anywhere far away, the soft voice that always send him into a calming state, the soft voice that he has missed for a long time. Although he recognizes the voice it is cracked, it is full of pain and it is full of sorrow. "Max?"

Max quickly stands up, him jumping when the chair falls down on the ground due to how hard she got up. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry that was just the chair!" Max says quickly.

"I can't see you." Lucas begins to panic, him looking around frantically but only seeing darkness. "Max I can't see you I can't see anything what's happening?!"

"Lucas it's okay! It's okay!" She assures in a shaky voice, her going to cradle his cheeks. "I'm right here, I'm here, right here." She says to him, leaning her forehead against his.

"Max its darkness it's darkness I can't see please I can't I need to see you." He begins to cry.

"Lucas I'm right here, I'm right here." Max begins to cry. "I don't...we don't know if your sight will come back."

Lucas sobs out, him crying while leaning his forehead hard on hers, needing to feel her as close as he can. "Why can't I move?" He questions, hearing it go silent. "Max?! No no don't leave me!"

"I'm here Lucas, I'm still right here." Max assures him, going to stroke his cheeks with her thumbs softly. "Lucas I'm so so so sorry!" She begins to sob. "The plan went to shit Jason came he broke your music I'm sorry! This is all my fault!"

Lucas shakes his head while he cries. "No, no don't say that." He tells her. "Did I...did I die?"

Max sobs out in agony, the memory still fills her mind so much, every single night and every single day through the long period of time he has been in coma. She has not been herself, she has been a total tragic mess. "Lucas what matters now is that you are alive and you are awake right now."

"Vecna?" Lucas questions.

"The son of a bitch is dead Lucas, he cannot hurt you again, El killed him." Max explains.

Lucas nods his head, more tears still escaping his eyes. "Why can't I move?" Max leans her forehead against his harder, her tears falling on his cheeks, her hands still being on his cheeks. She sobs out, making him begin to cry harder. "Max why can't I move?"

"Your bones are broken." Max gets out. "You can't move." Lucas begins to cry harder. "Lucas bones heal, they will heal I promise you I will be right here every step for the way for you I promise you I am not leaving-"

Lucas jumps hard when he hears something slam. "What was that?! Max?! Max?!"

"Lucas Lucas it's okay-"

"Please don't let me go please don't leave me again please!" Lucas begs.

"Lucas I'm sorry baby it's just me! It's just me!" Sue quickly says, all of the others behind her and making their way inside. "I'm sorry I just hurried through the door. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Mom?" Lucas cries, Sue sobbing out before she goes to hug him, being careful not to hurt them. "Where's everyone else?!" He panics.

"We're here Lucas." Will assures him.

All of them go to hug Lucas, all of them talking to him and assuring him that all is okay and he has nothing to worry about. When Erica makes it to him she sobs out loudly before going to hug him, them both crying while she hugs him.

"I'm sorry." Erica cries.

"It's not your fault." Lucas whispers.

"We weren't fast enough." Nancy begins to cry, Robin and Steve looking down while they cry as well.

Max looks down as well while she cries, she herself too wasn't fast enough. The only she should have been worried for is his music and she let that get destroyed. The more she looked back at it the more she scolded herself that she should have quickly pulled it away before he stepped on it, because maybe if she did this wouldn't have happened. She scolds herself for not going on and putting the music on his ears as soon as he was in the trance, she scolds herself for it all.

She has been doing it for a long time now.

"Max?! Max Max no no where's Max?!" Lucas begins to panic.

"Lucas I'm here! I'm here!" Max quickly assures, going to take his hand, her hand going on his cheek. "I'm going to be right here and I am never leaving your side you hear me?" She cries.

Lucas nods his head while he cries, him going to hold her hand tighter with his fingers as much as he can without it hurting. "Okay." He croaks out.

She goes to give him a soft lingering kiss on his forehead, him closing his eyes while tears escape. "I won't let anything happen to you again." She says on his forehead. She goes to his lips, going to give him a slow soft lingering kiss on his lips, her lips stilling on his. She pecks his lips softly before she pulls away, her still stroking his cheek.

He feels his breaths even from the soft motions, it doing well to calm him down during the troubling time. He smiles, Max going to smile at him while stroking his cheek softly. "Don't ever let me go."

"I promise you Lucas." Max assures him again, seeing him slowly beginning to close his eyes, his slight grip loosening on her fingers. "Lucas?!" Max questions in a panic. "No no no not again Lucas!"

"Lucas!"

"Nooo!"

"It's okay it's okay!" The doctor quickly assures, motioning towards the monitor that still reads his heartbeat. "It's okay, he is just very exhausted. He will show signs of him waking up for a few minutes talking then going back to sleep, sometimes even a few seconds. But he's alive..." she says before motioning towards the monitor that beeps. "He's alive."

Sue sobs out, her going to lean on Charles while she does, Charles crying while hugging her. Max goes to pull a chair up by him again, taking his hand and going to softly stroke his cheek. She goes to lay her head on his chest, feeling his chest rising and falling in deep breaths. It sends her into a calming state that she has never been in such a long time. She just lays her head there, her hand still stroking his cheek while he sleeps. She vows to always be here by her side, she is not leaving him not even for a second, and she will do anything to be sure that happens.

Everyone looks at the scene, all of them leaning on each other, they honestly see Max so much better then she has ever been for awhile now. They all understand why, but they are glad to see her better. Of course not fully recovered but better than she has ever been.

Max places a hand on his chest, his breathing making her eyes beginning to droop close, mentally noting how tired she really is. She rubs his chest a little, looking at him sleep.

"I will be here for you every step of the way."

~

Rising

Falling

Rising

Falling

That is how Max has been able to go to sleep during this past year of Lucas recovery, that is the only way she will be able to go to sleep. Susan always assures Max that she will be fine and it is nothing to worry for since Lucas is always constantly with Sue and Charles but with every time she says that Max puts up a rebuttal and she ends up here...

With Lucas.

She made a promise and now she is going to stick to that promise. This past year has been hard but progressing. Lucas still wakes up with nightmares which is understandable, because Max does too. He has triggers, lots of triggers when it comes to certain noises or certain sayings or when it is too silent in a room for too long or if he is not able to feel anyone with him, because he fears he is back into the never ending darkness all alone.

So Max makes it a point to be close to him, and that is what she is doing now, her sitting in a chair with her head being rested on his chest, her sound asleep while her hands rest on Lucas chest and stomach. Lucas lays on his back on the bed, pillows being neatly under his head and pillows being under his legs to keep them elevated to avoid having the pain in them.

Max slowly feels herself begin to wake up, her feeling Lucas hand run through her hair while lightly scratching her scalp. "Are you still asleep?" Lucas questions.

Max raises up. "No I'm awake." She tells him, going to interlace her fingers with his. With this past year Lucas arm bones have healed so that is good, him able to at least move himself around in a wheelchair by controlling the wheels. Max gives Lucas a soft kiss on his hand, going to put his other one on his cheek.

"You can go back to sleep if you want." Lucas tells her.

"No it's okay I'm awake." She says again while wiping her eyes. "Are you hungry?"

Lucas shakes his head. "No."

"Thirsty?"

"No."

"Are you comfortable?"

"Max." Lucas holds her hand tighter. "I'm okay."

Max nods her head, she knows she has been constantly asking and asking and trying to be there as much as she can for a year straight, always right there when she drops something always right there when he makes a certain noise always right there when he makes a certain face of pain. Just always right there.

"If I'm annoying you I'm sorry." Max says.

"You're not annoying me Max, it's just I can feel your hand shaking." He tells her, him holding her shaky hand. "I can always feel it, you are always on high alert, always panicking. I appreciate it but please, please just calm down for a moment okay?"

Max nods her head in understanding, even though everything is finally over yes she is still on high alert. She guesses that she has triggers to and her paranoia is running wild. At night when everyone is asleep at the house Max stays awake, fearing Vecna will come back somehow so she always holds a tape player and headphones in her hand while looking ahead of her at the door. The only time she goes to sleep is during the day when everyone else is awake around the house and that is honestly a big if considering how Lucas is up during the day and she wants to help him.

"Talk to me." Lucas tells Max, his hand still holding her shaky hand.

Max wipes a tear from her eye, trying to not cry again because she is sick and tired of crying. "You're like this because of me."

"Max no-"

"It's true Lucas."

"No it's not." Lucas shakes his head. "I'm like this because of the monster El killed."

"But I wasn't fast enough, I should have already had your music-"

"Max." Lucas holds her hand tighter. "We can't change the past, one thing I have learned through all of this is to...not wallow in my sorrows and just move forward, because the more you wallow in sorrows the worst you become." Lucas tells her, his hand feeling for her other hand and going to take it. "I may be blind, I may not be able to walk but I still have my friends with me, my family, I still have you..." he says while holding her hands tighter. "I still have you and every single minute of every single day....my heart calms because of that."

Max smiles at him, going to stroke his cheek and leaning her forehead against his. "I'll always be here Lucas. Always I swear it to you."

"I know." Lucas says to her, his hands going on her cheeks before he goes to kiss her softly. Max relaxes into the kiss, going to kiss him back slowly and tenderly, full of love. They rest their foreheads on each others after they pull away, Lucas smiling softly. It makes her smile, her still stroking his cheek softly. "Can we go outside? I'm kind of going crazy in here."

"Yeah." Max responds before she goes to get the wheelchair. Lucas slowly makes his way into the wheelchair with the help of Max, him successfully getting in it. Max whirls the wheelchair out of the room, getting to the stairs. "Charles?!"

"Yes?" He says before making himself visible. "Oh let me help." He quickly says, running over to the stairs.

"I'll help too!" Sue volunteers, she holds the bottom of the wheelchair while Charles and Max pull both handles down to bring him down, him getting to the ground. "Okay there you go baby. You both going outside?"

"Yeah we just need a little fresh air." Max responds.

"Okay, Lucas we're making your favorite tonight." Charles mentions.

Lucas nods his head, him having a tight smile on his face. "Thanks."

"We'll be outside." Max says before she goes to open the door, bringing Lucas outside on the patio. She goes to sit down in the rocking chair, taking Lucas hand.

She looks at Lucas, she can see the distant expression on his face. "Now you have to talk to me."

Lucas smiles a little. "I feel...broken." He admits. "Well I kind of am literally but I feel people are walking slowly with eggshells around me. Every time people talk to me it's just...different with how they used to, and I can tell Erica is truly trying to be herself but even her...she hasn't insulted me in like...weeks."

Max nods her head, her other hand going o rub the top of his while she still holds it. "I've been doing it too." She states, already knowing the answer to it.

"I know you all are only just concerned but...it doesn't make me feel the best. I mean my 'favorite' dinner has been made for it seems like weeks now, like every other night. I just...I just want for things to go back to normal."

Max nods her head in understanding, her going to bring Lucas face to look at hers. "Then I promise I will start to just treat you like my normal self...stalker."

Lucas smiles wide at that, it has been a long time since he heard that surface from her lips. Others may call it crazy but it is the nickname Max made for him, and he loves it. "Come closer please." Max comes closer to him, him holding both of her hands and stroking it softly. "Your hands are still as soft as I remember." Max smiles at him, seeing his head down on the direction of her hands. Max's eyes furrow a little bit when he stops his motion, his body freezing completely. "Lucas?" She questions, her going into a panic and going to cradle his face. "Lucas?!"

When they lock eyes Max can see the shocked expression on Lucas face, how his eyes...how they no longer have the white clouded look in them, how it doesn't look like thin clouds are around them anymore. Max can clearly see his brown eyes, them more brown since the sun is out. "Lucas..."

"I...holy shit..." Lucas sobs out, his hands shaking while looking at Max. "I can see you! I can see you!"

Max's eyes widen, a bright smile forming on her face. She squeals happily as she goes to hug him tightly, him hugging her back just as tightly. "Okay I'll go get your parents and-"

"Wait wait wait." Lucas tells her while taking her hands. "Just.." he trails off, his hands going to her face again. He sees it again, he can see her again and god...

She's beautiful.

Yes her hair is messy, blowing around in the soft wind while in a low ponytail, her eyes are kind of red but still the bright blue, even more brighter since she is now smiling right now. Her lips are still the perfect red, slightly chapped. Her skin is smooth, bright...

Perfect.

"God how I have missed your beautiful face." Lucas lightly cries, Max smiling brighter at him, feeling tears prickle in her eyes. His hands shake against her cheeks, her putting her hands over his. "You're so so beautiful."

Max smiles wider, her looking down and feeling her cheeks heating up. "Lucas..."

She is not able to finish when Lucas leans in and goes to kiss her, her falling into the kiss, her hands still on his. They pull away slowly, their lips still close to one another's.

"I love you so much Lucas." Max says to him, leaning on his forehead.

He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you too Max, so much."

Both of them going to kiss again.

~

"Okay." The man says while clapping his hands, Lucas being in the wheelchair without his leg casts, a path in front of him with railings on either side of the path, Max Sue Charles and Erica being on the other end of the path. It has been a year since Lucas regained his sight back and things have been going insanely better. Lucas is able to get more sleep now, and since Lucas can Max can as well. And with some great results and more happier times...

Comes more healing.

Physical therapy has been going great for Lucas, his arms completely healed and him able to move them normally without any pain. When it comes to his legs he is able to move them now and there was only a few steps he was able to walk before it gave out. He has been excited but his therapist told him to not rush the process. Now here they are, one year later.

"See your girlfriend?" The man points at Max, Lucas locking eyes with her. Max smiles at Lucas, going to send him a wave. "I want you to walk over to her. Now don't push yourself if you feel the need to use the railings do so."

"Okay." Lucas nods his head.

"Wooo you got this fart face!" Erica cheers.

"Erica it's physical therapy not a basketball game." Sue says to her, Erica just rolling her eyes in response.

"Okay you ready?" The man questions.

"Ready."

"Need help getting up?"

"No I got it." Lucas says, him holding onto the handles of the wheelchair and slowly getting up, a smile being held on his face, him balancing on his feet. He goes to hold onto the railings, him taking a step forward, then another, then another.

He moves his feet a little, going to move his legs around. Everyone else watches with great anticipation. Lucas goes to take his hands slowly away from the railing, while still looking down at his feet.

"Son don't overwork your-"

"Shhhhh!" Erica hushes harshly while slapping Charles arm.

"It's okay dad." Lucas assures, him locking eyes with Max. Max smiles brightly at him, her holding a hopeful expression on her face. He goes to slowly walk, him just taking it a step at a time, him lightly wobbling and loosing balance a little making him grip the railings again.

"It's okay, it's okay." Max assures. "Just keep trying."

Lucas nods his head, him balancing before he slowly takes his hands away from the railing. He goes slower, stepping forward by one foot and waiting for a few seconds before using the other